NCIS in the House
by The Maudlin Muse
Summary: Ziva is shot, with unpresidented results and Gibbs is left to take care of her in her... incompacitated state. It is up to a certain Doc in NJ to figure out whats wrong with her if there is any hope of things ever getting back to normal! please review!
1. Chapter 1

Disclaimer: I don't own either show, I didn't ask permission from either shows owners but both seasons have ended so they won't be missed till September at the earliest. I'll have them back by then promise!!! A few of the lines I may have taken from the actual shows because they just fit so well with the story. I don't own those either. I freely admit to all the above mentioned so please, don't sue me!

Warning: Author has taken certain liberties with the laws of nature.

A/N: My mission, if I chose to accept it was to cross NCIS with House. It didn't matter who if anyone was de aged. I accepted my mission and here is what I came up with. Mission given by Sparx so this is for her 

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NCIS in the House

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Chapter one

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Ziva sighed and wiped the back of her hand over her sweaty brow as she tried to concentrate on her paper work through the awful oppressive heat. She had grown up in Israel and even she found the office, sans air-conditioning, far too hot.

Poor Tony, who had not her conditioning of living most her life in a desert, looked to be swimming in a pool of his own sweat.

"Why did the air-conditioning have to go and break today? The one day in the last 3 weeks we are actually stuck in the office with no case!" He whined grabbing a handful of melting ice from the cup on his desk and shoving it down the front of his own shirt.

"Yes. It is so hot you could fry an egg on the skillet." Ziva agreed.

"The sidewalk Ziva, it's so hot you could fry an egg on the sidewalk." Tony corrected with a roll of his eyes.

"Why would anyone want to fry an egg on the sidewalk? That is so unsanitary." She said scrunching her nose.

"How long have you been in America?" Tony asked in exasperation before adding "Assimilate already!!!" which was exclaimed, complete with shaking his head and frustrated sigh.

Any retort Ziva had was cut off by a man wearing an air-conditioner repair uniform, pointing a gun right at her and shouting loudly in Arabic.

Apparently the guards had not checked the tool boxes well enough, they had not thought to look for false bottoms, which were present and happened to be lined with lead to prevent the gun's being picked up by the x-ray machines.

Ziva, as highly trained as she was, was unable to predict a second gunman shooting her in the back as she took the first one down…

OoOoOo

House could hear the clickity clack of Cuddy's heels marking her eminent approach and he frantically hit the 'door close' button on the elevator console.

He fidgeted a bit silently urging the doors to close faster, and just as they were about to slide completely shut a well manicured hand that he would recognize anywhere, shot in causing it to spring back open and Cuddy slid into the elevator next to him.

"I have a case for you." She said matter of factley, handing him the patient file she had been holding just as the elevator doors closed.

He groaned, but seeing he was now trapped at least until they reached the 4th floor, he flipped the file open and skimming through the first page.

"She was shot… diagnostically very boring." House insisted shoving the file folder back at her as he quickly made for the finally open door of the elevator.

"Besides losing blood she also lost about 30 years." Cuddy added just as House was about to leave the elevator.

House raised an eyebrow and yanked the folder back from her before limping off without saying so much as another word. If he had looked back he would have been awfully perturbed by the triumphant smile that played on Lisa's lips.


	2. Chapter 2

Disclaimer: I don't own either show, I didn't ask permission from either shows owners but both seasons have ended so they won't be missed till September at the earliest. I'll have them back by then promise!!! I freely admit they are not mine and I make no money from their use, so, don't sue!! Please and thank you!

Warning: Author has taken certain liberties with the laws of nature.

A/N: I know this chapter, as well as the last one are really short, especially compared to what I usually write. All in all this is going to be a much shorter story but I promise the next one will be at least a little bit longer.

A/N 2: I am ignoring both Kutner's and Jenny's death in this fic.

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NCIS in the House

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Chapter two

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"Toonnyyyyy." A tiny dark haired girl with large, wide brown eyes whined from her hospital bed her bottom lip sticking all the way out.

"Yes, itsy bitsy Ziva-kins?" Tony asked all innocently holding the remote just out of her significantly shortened reach.

"I was watching that!" She complained.

"The History channel? Come on that is soooo boring, this is much better. It's a classic, who doesn't love 007?"

"Do not make me kick your ass!" She threatened; though the threat coming from a four year old was much less scary to the other agent then it previously would have been.

"Oh really? I'm soooo-ooo-ooo not scared of you!! I can take you one hand tied behind my back and blind folded. Give you a one way ticket back to munchkin land!"

Ziva had just stood up on the bed getting ready to jump at Tony when Gibbs entered the room. Walking over to them Gibbs landed a single swat to Ziva's bottom with his left hand and a single swat to the back of Tony's head with the right.

"Knock it off, both of you. Ziva sit down, DiNozzo give Ziva back the remote." He scolded.

Ziva squeaked and quickly plopped down on her bottom as Tony flinched and tossed the remote back over to her, both of them pouting.

OoOoOo

House stood in front of his white board, blue dry erase marker in hand. Written on the board was the one and only symptom "Sudden Loss of 30 years of age"

"Thoughts?" He asked his underlings, turning to give them all a look that said if anyone suggested Lupus they would be fired.

"Her file says she is Israeli." Kutner pointed out.

"Yes, and that has what to do with anything?" House asked "The last I checked Jews weren't predisposed to random de aging" He growled at the younger man.

"No but they are predisposed to many other genetic conditions. Maybe she has one that is simply displaying itself in a way we have never seen before." He defended.

House made a shooing motion with his hand at Kutner "Go, run genetic tests." He ordered. Once Kutner was gone from the room he turned back to the remaining three doctors "Now, does anyone have a PLAUSABLE diagnosis?"


	3. Chapter 3

Disclaimer: I don't own either show, I didn't ask permission from either shows owners but both seasons have ended so they won't be missed till September at the earliest. I'll have them back by then promise!!! I freely admit they are not mine and I make no money from their use, so, don't sue!! Please and thank you!

Warning: Author has taken certain liberties with the laws of nature.

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NCIS in the House

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Chapter three

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Ziva screamed and kicked and struggled as the doctor tried to garner some of her blood to test. Gibbs who had been on his way back from getting coffee and Tony who had been in the hospital room bathroom came running, Tony with his fly still down, at her screams.

Kutner, who had been trying to avoid little feet that seemed to be zoned in on his crotch all while trying to stick her with the phlebotomy needle, looked to them for a bit of help. Looking away from the little girl however, had been a bad idea, for the moment he did one of her little feet connected square between his legs.

Dropping the blood draw kit, Kutner doubled over letting out a very girlish squeal.

"Ziva Sarah David!" Gibbs bellowed almost instinctively causing Ziva to freeze eyes wide and on Gibbs.

"He… he keeps stealing my blood!" Ziva defended.

"He is not stealing it Ziva." Gibbs explained with a roll of his eyes.

"I do not wish to give it and he is trying to take it, there for he is stealing it!" She insisted with a soft whimper. She hated feeling vulnerable, she hated that she was no longer able to defend herself and she hated that her one fear… needles… a fear she had worked hard to rid herself of or simply avoid was back and now going to be found out.

"Our itty bitty Ziva-kins, is afraid of needles!" Tony pointed out ecstatically, with a large grin which was quickly wiped off his face by a hard palm to the back of his head.

Gibbs glared steely eyed at Tony, but recognizing the truth in his words turned his attention back to his miniature Mossad agent. Walking over to her bed he placed his coffee down on the night stand, sat down and scooped her up into his lap mindful of her injured shoulder.

It seemed the assassin sent to kill Ziva wasn't as well trained as one would expect. This struck Gibbs as odd, no more than odd, completely and totally off, so much so that it kind of frightened him, though he would never admit that anything scared him! And the fact that the bullet had hit her in the shoulder and no second shot was even attempted though there had most definitely been time between the first and when the assassin was stormed by the entire bullpen full of NCIS agents. It wasn't sitting right with Gibbs, not at all.

The entire thing was niggling at the back of Gibbs' brain and irritating his gut but he had not thus far been able to get either of the suspects to talk, not that he had been allowed much time with them. Jenny had been working overtime to keep him away stating a conflict of interest. She was taking care of this investigation personally and really she didn't trust that Gibbs wouldn't kill one of them for she knew that no one got away with hurting a member of Gibbs' family and to Gibbs, Ziva was family.

Honestly though, Gibbs had not had very much time to work the puzzle out in his brain. Normally he would have had what was bothering him worked out. He was usually good at reading his gut, solving the puzzle, getting to the bottom of things and solving the case but he had been too pre occupied with worrying about and taking care of Ziva.

Cradling Ziva to his chest, Gibbs ran a hand through her hair in a gentle, soothing manor getting her to relax against him.

He had learned over the last few days that treating her somewhere between the agent she was and the child she had become was his best bet with her as her mind had regressed along with her body yet she had retained her memories.

He was slowly learning the best times to treat her like a four year old she currently was and the best time to treat her like the well trained assassin her memories were telling her she was. Right now she was just a scared, four year old and he would treat her accordingly.

"They already took my blood." She pouted laying her head against Gibb's chest, her regressed mind craving the comfort despite her memories.

"How about, Tony goes to get a cookie that you can have after the doctor finishes taking your blood?" Gibbs asked her once she was relaxed against him.

Ziva scrunched her face up a little bit in thought… "Chocolate chip?" She asked her large brown eyes batting sweetly.

"Chocolate chip" Gibbs promised snapping his fingers at Tony.

Tony got the hint and headed to the door.

"By the way, DiNozzo" Gibbs called out to Tony who then stopped in the door frame "Your fly is undone."

Tony blushed and quickly zipped up before heading down to get the promised cookie.

Kutner, who had finally recovered from the blow to his balls, retrieved the phlebotomy kit.

Gibbs leaned down, whispering something into Ziva's ear.

Ziva blushed, a little and looked up at Kutner with wide innocent brown eyes. "Sorry I kicked you." She said in little over a whisper.

Kutner couldn't help but smile at the little girl as he tied the ternakit around her tiny arm "That's okay… Now, just a little pinch." He warned as he slid the needle in to collect the blood sample.

Ziva turned her head burying her face in Gibb's chest as Kutner slid in the needle. She let out a little whimper as it pierced her skin but gave no more trouble.

Gibbs stroked her hair and held her tight as her blood was drawn, kissing the top of her head as the needle slid out and Kutner packed up the kit.

OoOoOo

"Okay," House began "Now that we have eliminated the idea that this could be a never before seen manifestation of a genetic disorder…" He stopped to glare at Kutner who was looking rather embarrassed "do we have any other ideas?" He asked his team which had just re assembled after spending nearly all night in the lab testing the child's blood for all common genetic abnormalities that were found in people of Jewish heritage and many that weren't.

"Her blood work is completely clean. There was nothing there, not even an elevated white count." Thirteen told him.

"Right, other ideas?" He asked wiggling the dry erase marker between his fingers. He figured right about now Forman would be suggesting…

"We should do an MRI." Bingo, right on cue.

House nodded at Forman.

"Get our miniaturized moppet to the mega magnet." House ordered grinning at what he deemed to be his own cleverness.


	4. Chapter 4

Disclaimer: At risk of repeating myself I am going to say… I don't own either show, I didn't ask permission from either shows owners but both seasons have ended so they won't be missed till September at the earliest. I'll have them back by then promise!!! I freely admit they are not mine and I make no money from their use, so, don't sue!! Please and thank you!

Warning: Author has taken certain liberties with the laws of nature.

A/N: so you all know I have more ready. The more reviews I get the faster the chapters go up. The more reviews I get the faster my muse works as well.

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NCIS in the House

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Chapter four

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Screams filled the MRI room, accompanied by flailing limbs and scattering doctors.

Thirteen had been bitten, Kutner had been scratched and Forman had barely avoided a fist to his face. Taub of course was safely behind glass getting the computers set up for the test in the observation room.

Ziva was not going to go into that MRI! There was no way they were getting her in there. Everything in her Mossad training told her that getting into a small space closed in at all sides was a very, very bad idea. She refused to admit that an even larger part of her struggle was because her four year old brain was indeed very, very scared at the idea of getting into a small space closed in at all sides.

"I will not go into that… that thing!" She declared crossing her arms over her chest to try and make herself seem less scared and more formidable.

"Don't you want us to find out what's wrong with you?" Forman asked trying to display patients he really did not have.

"Yes…" Ziva said giving something that sounded suspiciously like a sniffle.

"Then we have to do this test. I know it seems a little scary but I promise. It won't hurt." Forman explained.

Ziva seemed to contemplate this for a few moments and even allowed Forman to scoop her up under her arms and sit her on the MRI table.

However, decision reached, and not a favorable one, Ziva kicked her foot up right into Forman's groin and emitted a rather shrill and loud "NOOO!" before hopping off the table and running to the door, leaving a doubled over neurologist in her wake.

Thirteen ran over to him to check if he was ok… he really wasn't. Not that, that was a surprise or anything and Kutner started after the child.

Standing on her tip toes, Ziva managed to open the door and run out… smack into Gibbs' legs.

Gibbs bent down and scooped her up, sitting her against his hip. He raised a single eyebrow at her and then at Kutner who simply shrugged his shoulders sheepishly.

"What is this about?" He asked her firmly.

"I-I am not going in that!" She nearly whimpered.

Looking at the MRI machine Gibbs was able to immediately guess the problem.

"Do you trust me?" Gibbs asked her gently.

"Y-Yes." She nodded.

"Good, then, don't worry. I've got your six." He assured her as he lay her down on the MRI table.

This seemed to calm her down immeasurably, and she allowed Gibbs to lay her on the machine without a fight.

The doctors all exchanged looks. They had no idea what had just happened nor did they understand the exchange between the two, but apparently whatever he had said to her was enough.

Forman sighed in relief and pressed the button to retract the table into the MRI before following Thirteen and Kutner out gesturing for Gibbs to follow and the four of them went into the observation room where Taub was waiting.

Forman started the machine, which in retrospect had probably been a bad idea. The machine started up and the loud gunfire like sound started to echo through the small space. Ziva's reaction should have been pretty predictable given her training coupled with her regressed state.

She started to scream, not her `I don't want to do this' scream that the staff at PPTH had become all too familiar with, but a completely different type, this one was a scream not even Gibbs had never heard from her before and one he never wanted to again. It was her `I'm terrified make it stop now please' scream and it was gut wrenching, heart breaking not to mention ear drum bursting.

Ziva started to kick and punch at the MRI's walls as she shrieked in terror. Little hands and feet connected with any place on the delicate machine they could manage to reach. Even at only four years old she seemed to be very strong.

Forman jumped as the screaming started and grumbled as the flailing began. He pressed the button on the microphone "You have to be still so we can get the image." he told her to no avail. Her kicking and punching simply became more frantic.

"She is going to break the machine." Taub observed.

"I really don't want to have to explain to Cuddy why our department broke ANOTHER MRI." Forman sighed pressing the button on the microphone again he tried to calm Ziva down "Please be still, it isn't going to hurt you and as soon as you are still we can get the pictures we need and it will be done." He said calmly but Ziva was having none of it.

Gibbs couldn't believe they were still trying to do the MRI when she was obviously so terrified. He turned to Forman and glared; his blue eye steely.

He leaned down right into Forman's face and growled "Get. Her. Out. Of. There. NOW!"

Forman gulped. Nodding he turned off the machine and, followed by Gibbs, quickly went back down into the MRI room where he retracted the table from the machine.

Ziva, who had managed to stop screaming when the machine had been turned off, was laying on the table sobbing.

Gibbs leaned down and picked her up and she wrapped her arms around his neck, her legs around his stomach, her face quickly tucked into the crook of his neck, hiding as she clung tight and sobbed.

Gibbs rubbed her heaving back and whispered soothing words in her ear.

Forman sighed and ran a hand down his face. Okay, so maybe putting a tiny trained assassin, regressed to a four year old, into a closed off machine that sounded like gun fire in your ears, wasn't their best idea ever.

"We really have to do this." Forman told Gibbs with much trepidation… the man, quite frankly, scared him.

"NOOO" Ziva cried muffled into Gibbs' neck.

Forman sighed and looked rather stressed but Gibbs on the other hand had a smile forming across his face.

"I have an idea." The well seasoned agent declared...

OoOoOo

Ziva sat in Thirteen's lap up in the observation room watching the computer monitor as pictures of Gibbs' brain appeared in the screen.

She watched with much interest as different areas of his brain, glowed red, yellow and green.

"Can I see pictures of my brain too?" She asked never tearing her eyes off the screen.

"Sure you can, right after we finish scanning it. Remember you have to be very, very still so we can get good pictures. Then you can come right back up here and have a look. Not many people can say they have seen their own brain." Thirteen told her with a big smile. "You think you can be really still like Agent Gibbs is being?" She asked.

Ziva nodded "Yes, I can. I can be really still." She told her. She was so wrapped up in watching the scan she hadn't even noticed that Thirteen had been pressing the microphone button the entire time.

Down in the MRI Gibbs smiled widely.


	5. Chapter 5

Disclaimer: I don't own either show, I didn't ask permission from either shows owners but both seasons have ended so they won't be missed till September at the earliest. I'll have them back by then promise!!! I freely admit they are not mine and I make no money from their use, so, don't sue!! Please and thank you!

Warning: Author has taken certain liberties with the laws of nature.

OoOoOo

NCIS in the House

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Chapter five

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"I saw my brain and Gibbs' brain too." Ziva jabbered to Tony as she sat on her hospital bed with a juice box.

"Wow, so there's the proof for you." Tony said

"Proof?" Ziva asked

"That you actually have a brain." Tony answered with a grin.

Gibbs reached out with one hand to hold the back of Ziva's ducky print hospital gown to keep her from pouncing Tony. Standing up a bit to reach over the bed to the other side he used his other hand to whap Tony rather hard upside the head.

Tony flinched and crinkled his face a bit, rubbing the back of his head as Gibbs sat once more, pushing Ziva gently to get her to lie down.

"DiNozzo?"

"Yeah Boss?" Tony inquired with a bit of trepidation, one hand going up to rub the back of his head again.

"Who is the four year old here?" Gibbs asked with a growl.

"Ziva…" Tony answered sheepishly.

"Exactly! Act your age. That's an order!" Gibbs barked.

"Yes Boss!" Tony responded automatically.

Gibbs nodded in satisfaction, leaning back in his chair just in time for his cell phone to ring.

"What have you got for me Abby?" He asked

"_You always know when I have something."_ She chirped into the phone

"Well I think it was a reasonable assumption, that you had something seeing as you called me." Gibbs said with a chuckle.

"_I could have just been calling to check on Ziva ya know. Any way; it is no big surprise the bullet that hit Ziva matches the gun the perp was carrying, however the gun… Gibbs it's like nothing I have ever seen before. There is no cereal number, and I don't mean it was filed off I mean there was never one on it, the bullets aren't like anything I have ever seen before ether. While they definitely came from the gun they are an entirely unprecedented weapon. Gibbs this is some sort of new gun there isn't any record of anything like it or it's bullets anywhere and me and McGee have been looking nonstop for the last two days! Anything even remotely related to it and we get locked out. Gibbs we really need your help. " _Abby shot off in her normal rapid, caffeinated speed.

"Okay Abby, calm down, I'll be back as soon as I can." Gibbs told her, he knew if he made the calls now an immediate flight could be arranged for him and it wouldn't take too long to get back, he could drive but he didn't want to take so long to get back and forth.

Saying their good buys, Gibbs flipped his phone shut and tucked it back into his pocket before turning to Tony.

"I have to go back to DC, you are to stay here with Ziva, do not leave her alone no matter what. Remember she is still your partner and her safety is your first priority." Gibb was worried that whoever was behind Ziva's shooting would use her incapacitated state against her which was why both he and Tony had accompanied Ziva to New Jersey to see Dr. House.

"Right Boss." Tony nodded.

"Good." Gibbs said and he headed to the door. Stopping just before exiting he turned back to them for a moment

"Ziva, Tony is in charge." He knew the moment he said it that it wasn't going to go over well with her but there was no help for it. She was physically and emotionally four years old, someone had to be her guardian in his steed and that had to be Tony. She needed to listen to him for her own safety

"But…" She started to protest but a single glare from Gibbs shut her up

"And don't terrorize the staff, and by that DiNozzo, I mean both of you. I'd really like it if I came back and both you this hospital and its staff were still in one piece." Gibbs warned.

Tony grinned cheekily and nodded. Gibbs shook his head and headed out to make arrangements for a flight back to DC.

Gibbs still found this entire this surreal. The entire thing had been such a mess. The gun had gone off in the bull pen; the entire bull pen pounced on the gunman as Ziva lay bleeding on the floor. Ducky came up from the morgue quickly and helped stop the bleeding as an ambulance was called and the perps were taken to separate interrogation rooms.

Ziva had been rushed to the Hospital, the bullet had severed the axillary artery and she had lost a lot of blood. If Ducky had not been as fast as he was Ziva very well may have exsanguinated, as it was she had lost a lot of blood.

Really it was all to be expected from being shot, however, when Ziva starting to shrink 5 days later, just as they were getting ready to let her go, right in front of their eyes, was not par for the course.

OoOoOo

Forman sighed as they looked at the light bored where the print outs from MRI were fastened.

"Nothing… nothing seems abnormal for a four year olds brain." Forman said in disbelief.

"Other than, of course, the fact that, that isn't supposed to be the brain of a four year old." House commented.

"The problem has to be in the brain, it has to be neurological, everything about this screams neurological!" Forman said in exasperation.

"Go argue with the MRI about it." House said "As you can see the scan is clean."

"Forman is right." Taub spoke up "This has to be neurological. It at least has to have a neurological component. Nothing else could account for the fact that she has her adult memories but the complete mentality of a four year old."

"We have to be missing something." Thirteen agreed with a nod.

"Of course we are missing something!" House growled, he hated when people wasted his time by stating the obvious. "The question is; how do we find the something we are missing?" He asked.

"We need to do another MRI, this time, though, with contrast." This time it was Kutner who spoke up.

"Yes." House said "But we have to use enough contrast so that we can see every nook and cranny of her brain, every crevice, even the lining has to be lit up with it."

"Using that much contrast is too dangerous, it could cause a bleed in her brain. You know you are going to need not only consent from her proxy but permission from Cuddy as well." Forman argued.

"It is the only way to find whatever it is we are missing." House declared and with a grin announced "Off to Cuddy!"


	6. Chapter 6

Disclaimer: I don't own either show, I didn't ask permission from either shows owners but I freely admit they are not mine and I make no money from their use, so, don't sue!! Please and thank you!

Warning: Author has taken certain liberties with the laws of nature.

OoOoOo

NCIS in the House

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Chapter six

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"_Director Sheppard."_ Jenny answered her phone after having Cynthia patch the call through to her.

"It's Lisa." Cuddy told her.

Jenny and her, had known each other as children, they had both gone to the same private school. They had been pretty good friends, but time and distance, as it is often want to do, had put a damper on said relationship. However, that had not stopped Jenny from calling when this 'little' problem with Ziva had come up.

"_Hi, how is Ziva doing? Did something happen"_ The director asked a bit nervously.

"No, No, she is the same. That is the problem. My doctors have not been able to, as of yet, diagnose the problem. Dr. House wishes to do a procedure, to help ascertain what is wrong. However, it is a bit dangerous. I won't go into details that won't make sense to you, but the outcome could be a brain bleed which could cause further damage or death." She explained.

"_And you want me to decide whether or not to allow this test?"_ Jenny asked

"Yes. Agent DiNozzo was left as her medical proxy when Agent Gibbs had to leave, but I wanted to check with you before even bringing this to him. She is your agent so above all else you need to agree. Agent DiNozzo would just be the physical body here to sign." Lisa explained.

"_Do the benefits out way the risks?"_ Jenny asked. She knew, being Director of a federal agency, that sometimes risks needed to be taken in hopes that the ends justified the means, that when all was said and done the risk was one that should be taken. She had sent many good men to their deaths out in the field, risked her own life more than a time or two in hopes that what they accomplished would be worth their lives.

"Dr. House seems to think so, and though I hate to admit it, he is usually right about these things." Cuddy told her.

"_Okay, okay. Go ahead with the test."_ Jenny told her, her gut was telling her this was the right thing to do, what Ziva would have wanted had she been in her adult mind and not just a scared child. Gibbs wasn't the only one with a gut that talked!

After they exchanged goodbyes and hung up, Cuddy looked across her desk to where House was sitting in a chair staring at her waiting for an answer. He had listened to her side of the conversation rolling his eyes the entire time. He hated having to get consent to do tests from people who had no idea what so ever about medicine or diagnostics.

"Well?" He asked impatiently.

"She said go ahead with the test. Bring Agent DiNozzo the paper work to sign, tell him the director gave the go ahead. But House…" She trailed off waiting for House's full attention.

"Yes?" House asked looking at her impatiently.

"She is the daughter of the head of Mossad… For your own health I don't suggest you let her die." Cuddy warned him. All banter between them put aside Cuddy didn't want to see House hurt or dead and she was under no dilution about what could happen if House performed a test that caused the death of a very powerful and potentially dangerous man's daughter.

House frowned but nodded. He honestly hadn't really thought of that before. Oh well, it made solving this puzzle even more exciting.

OoOoOo

Tony took the paper and signed it as quietly as he could. Ziva was asleep in the bed next to him and he saw no reason to want to wake her. Heck he would be thrilled if she slept till Gibbs got back especially given the kind of thing he had just signed off on them doing to her.

Sure it hadn't been his choice, not really but Ziva would kill him anyway and knowing Ziva he would never even see it coming!

Giving the sleeping child a nervous glance, and feeling more than a little silly for doing so, Tony handed the signed form back to Dr. Kutner.

"We will be back in half an hour to do the test." Kutner told him before taking the paper and leaving the room.

Ziva slept up until they came for her for the test. It was as if she knew something was up and her eyes just sprang open peering at Tony accusingly.

The procedure was explained to her in child friendly terms leaving out all the possible dangers that Tony had already signed off on.

Ziva looked back and forth between Forman, who had been the one to come collect her for the test, and Tony, her bottom lip quivering. Somewhere in the back of her mind there was a voice yelling at her not to be such a baby, scolding her for acting as she was, but the larger fore front of her mind was telling her there was no way she was going back into that scary loud machine not even if Gibbs AND Tony went in first. She had already seen her brain. She didn't need to see it again. And she was especially not allowing them to put any magic color, as Forman had worded it, in her!

"NOOO!!!!" She cried shaking her head a few tears gathering in the corner of her eyes.

Tony groaned, he wasn't Gibbs and he wasn't sure he would be able to handle a Ziva toddler tantrum with as much efficiency as the other man had. In fact he highly doubted it was an experience he would survive and he was pretty sure that, unlike Gibbs, he wasn't going to be able to talk the tiny assassin into doing anything she didn't want to do.

OoOoOo

"She won't let us anywhere near her." Kutner said as he entered House's office.

"She is small, just catch her, sedate her and toss her in the machine." House uttered in a bored tone dismissing the other doctor with the wave of his hand. Or at least he tried too. Kutner didn't seem to be inclined to leave, instead he moved himself further into the room.

"Taub has a broken nose, Forman is nursing a black eye and Thirteen nearly lost a finger. She needed 12 stitches." Kutner exclaimed.

"What about you, you seem unscathed." House said with a raised eyebrow.

"You don't want to know…" Kutner said his hands moving subconsciously to cover his crotch. He was procuring a jock cup before going anywhere near that kid again.

"You know what this means?" House asked.

"No." Kutner said in confusion "What?"

"Time to meet the patient!" House declared with mock enthusiasm before hobbling out of the room with purpose.

House stormed into the hospital room leveling the child with a quick, menacing glare.

Ziva was sitting on the bed her arms crossed over her chest her face set in a pout her eyes fixed on Tony in a glare. Tony for his part was staying well out of the little girls reach. He had seen what she had done to the doctors.

"I hear you've been beating my doctor's asses." House said flatly as he limped close to her bed, showing no fear.

Ziva turned to look at him giving her head a curt nod.

"Well, I'm here to do the same thing they were. So come on, let me have it." House said making a 'bring it on' gesture with the hand not holding his cane.

Ziva just stare at him with wide eyes, her arms falling to her sides her pout forgotten in favor of gawking at the odd doctor who looked kinda like Gibbs. That is if Gibbs didn't shave for a week.

"What?" he asked the kid "Is it the cane?" he asked lifting the cane up and wagging it at Ziva when she made no move to attack him.

Ziva just blinked at him.

"Whatever, let's go. The sooner we get this done the better." House said, reaching out for her.

That got a reaction as Ziva nearly tossed herself off the opposite side of the bed almost knocking her IV over as she screamed "NOOOO!"

House sighed and hobbled out of the room without another word, leaving Ziva standing there completely confused. He hobbled back in a mere minute later holding a rather large and scary looking syringe.

"Look kid," He said holding the dreaded implement up "you either cooperate with my doctors or I can stick this in that cushy little toddler tushy of yours and make you go ni-ni the hard way. And then we will perform the test anyway."

Ziva stared wide eyed, frozen to her spot and House made out a barley perceivable shake of the little girls head.

"You have till the count of three to make up your mind." House informed her "Either you agree and you get the nice sedative in your IV pump or you make this hard and you get the sedative via sharp needle to the rump. Now," House started counting placing the syringe on the cart next to him and grabbing some latex gloves from the box affixed to the wall.

Ziva whimpered and looked to Tony for help. Tony simply shrugged at the child trying not to smile at how well House was handling the little brat.

"One," House began as he pulled the gloves on letting them snap into place a little more dramatically than strictly necessary.

Ziva scanned the room for possible egress but House was standing right in front of the door with Kutner to the side of him and a little back completely blocking the way and Tony was right by the window besides they were on the fourth floor anyway. Ziva swallowed thickly with a loud gulping sound.

"Two…" House picked the syringe back up off the table and took a step in Ziva's direction. He watched the little monster that had been terrorizing his staff look around the room frantically. He smiled. This was fun.

Ziva whimpered, actually whimpered as House took another step forward and she saw his mouth start to move to utter the number three…

"ALRIGHT!" She cried and House smiled.

"Right, then my work here is done." He said handing the syringe over to Kutner so that he could administer the sedative through the IV, before turning to head for the door.

"Wait." Ziva said in a panicked voice.

House rolled his eyes before turning back around, looking at the child expectantly.

"You are not going to take me?" She asked in a pleading way her large brown eyes wide and filled with tears. She hated her new little body and the emotions it came with. She really didn't understand why she wanted this man to take her and she hated not understanding her own emotions.

"Oh for the love of…" House sighed and tossed his hand, the one not holding his cane, heaven word towards a deity he insisted he didn't believe in.

Ziva flinched a little and cursed herself for it. Why did she have to feel so small and scared?

"Fine." House, assented walking back into the room "Get onto the gurney." He demanded snatching the needle back from Kutner.

Ziva padded quickly to the stretcher dragging her IV stand with her and struggled onto it. Tony walked over and lifted her up and on when she slid down for the third time, unable to climb up on her own.

Grumbling slightly House inserted the needle into the IV and depressed the plunger sending the sedative that would put the girl to sleep into her blood stream.

Tony watched House with something akin to awe. No one save Gibbs could get Ziva to listen like that.

Ziva laid back on the stretcher her eyes heavy. She gave the grouchy doc one last, House could have sworn, grateful, look before she was overcome by sleep.


	7. Chapter 7

Disclaimer: I don't own either show, I didn't ask permission from either shows owners but I freely admit they are not mine and I make no money from their use, so, don't sue!! Please and thank you.

Warning: Author has taken certain liberties with the laws of nature.

A/N: Some people have been asking about Ziva's state, if she was just 4 in her mind or in body or what. Ziva was shrunk body and all to a 4 year old, she looks and feels like a 4 year old, in other words she is in a 4 year old body. But she has her adult memories just not the emotional control or appearance of an adult. I hope that clears things up.

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NCIS in the House

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Chapter seven

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Gibbs walked up behind Abby a Caf-Pow in one hand and an 'I heart New Jersey' shot glass in the other. He leaned in and kissed the back of the dark, pig-tailed head.

Abby gave a little jump and whirled around to face him. "Gibbs!" she cried and launched herself at the man nearly making him drop, the Caf-Pow.

Steadying himself, Gibbs put the drink down on the table along with the shot glass and wrapped his arms around his caffeine fueled lab tech.

He noted, with a small, fond smile, his probie asleep on the futon in the office.

"We haven't been able to find anything on these weapons, Tim and I have been looking all night. They simply don't exist, well they do because we have them but all the records are saying they don't and I have no idea what they are or were they came from…"

"Take a breath Abs and show me." Gibbs said gently giving her one last squeeze before pushing her gently away from him.

Abby sucked in a deep breath, turning down her music, which was at a deafening decibel, and lead Gibbs over to where she had been working on the gun and bullet lifting them up to show him.

"See they definitely match. The bullet came from the gun but neither of them are anything I have seen before, there is absolutely NO record on them anywhere in any database. As I said they just don't exist, except they do exist, obviously, because they are here, but they shouldn't." She babbled.

Gibbs only listened to her prattling with half an ear as he took the evidence from her hands and examined it closely. It was true, the gun and bullet were not quite like anything he had ever seen before. The gun was short and fat, rounded at the top like an alien ray gun he had seen in a sci-fi movie when he was a kid. Except instead of being bright orange and yellow this gun was all steel and deceptively heavy for its size. He weighed it in his palm a moment, thinking, before placing the gun back down and turning his attention to the bullet.

Lifting it up between thumb and forefinger, he brought it close to his eyes looking at it from every angle. It was a little too thin and short to be a bullet to any gun that Gibbs had ever seen but then again he never had seen the gun this bullet belonged to, before. His eyebrows shot up as he spotted something at the tip.

"Abs, did you see this?" He asked her holding the bullet out to her and pointing to the tip of the oddly shaped bullet.

Abby's eyes went wide as she took in what Gibbs was pointing out to her.

"I have been so busy trying to classify the gun I never did get a chance to examine the bullet, well aside from figuring out it had come from this gun." She said taking the bullet from Gibbs to get a better look at it.

"Now, why would there be a hole at the tip of the bullet?" Gibbs asked both to Abby and himself.

"There seems to be some sort of liquid residue inside it!! I'll go start of Major Mas Spec!" Abby bounced off to get her machine started up.

"Abby I want this bullet taken apart I want to know its inner workings. I want to know what this is all about. I have to get back to Ziva but call me as soon as you find something." He barked at her.

"Aye Aye Gibbs!" Abby said and saluted.

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Ziva whimpered and rolled over in bed, whimpering again as her eyes opened and she quickly shut them. Her head was pounding so badly that she couldn't control the tears that filled her eyes or the small sob that escaped her mouth.

Tony, who had been sitting in one of the guest chairs off to the side watching an old movie on TV, jumped up and was at her side as fast as his legs would carry him. Something about the noise the little girl had made just caused him to react.

"Ziva?" He asked crouching down to peer at the little girl who had once again screwed her eyes closed against the pain. He could see tears slide down her cheeks passed the tightly closed lids and it concerned him. Even though she had been 4 years old the past few days he had yet to really see her cry and somehow Tony thought that even as a toddler she was too much of a rock to shed a tear.

"Hey what's wrong little ninja?" Tony asked, completely unsure as to where the little nickname had come from thought it certainly was fitting.

"Hurts." The little girl whimpered opening her eyes into little slits to peer at Tony, a few more tears rolling down her cheeks. She had never had pain like that before, not in her head.

"Your head?" Tony asked, reaching out in an uncharacteristic show of gentleness to stroke the child's forehead. The doctors had warned him that that could be a side effect of the test they were doing so it wasn't completely unexpected. How it was affecting Ziva, on the other hand, was.

"Y-Yes." was the croaked answer, choked by more tears. And then the flood gates opened and the groggy unhappy little girl started to actively cry.

She was crying and Tony, under other circumstances would probably joke and rub that fact in, but here and now Tony didn't feel like joking. Instead he felt an over whelming need to comfort his pint sized partner and so he did the only thing he could think to do...

Careful of the IV line and the child's throbbing head, Tony lifted her off the bed, laying down in her place he pulled her down on top of him, yanking the blankets over both of them and held her close, one arm wrapped around her waist using the fingers of his other hand to rub little circles in the toddlers left temple, the right pressed against his chest as she listened to his soothing heart beat.

A few hours later, a smile spread across Gibbs' face as he walked into the room to find his agents, both asleep in the hospital bed, Ziva curled up on her side lying atop Tony who had her encircled, protectively in his arms, and he was glad Tim had taught him how to work the camera on his phone…


	8. Chapter 8

Sorry for the long wait on this, but life has gotten the better of me making it hard for me to write these stories. Once again I put out a plea for a coauthor for this story. I don't think I can continue to write this on my own and really need someone to work with on this. PM me if you think you can help, thank you.

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Chapter eight

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Abby wanted to throw Major Mas Spec out a window. How is it a machine that could identify anything could not identify what it was they had found in the bullet? It was beyond maddening and, going on three days with no sleep, Abby was at the end of her metaphorical rope. She wanted to help her friend but caffeine could only keep a person going for so long.

She had never before been so frustrated; her science had never let her down in such a way. Yet there she was with a substance that had to be responsible for her friend's shrinkage, yet she had no idea what it was or how to counteract its effects. The powerless feeling that left her with made her feel like a balloon with no air, deflated.

She was on the verge of tears when Tim came back with a much need Caf Pow. Seeing her face he placed the drink down on the table and wrapped her in a hug, "We will figure this out Abby, I know we will." He assured his friend as he hugged her tight as if his arms were singularly responsible for holding her together.

"You don't know that Timmy, even Major Mas Spec can't tell me what that stuff is. He can always tell me what things are, but just like the bullet and the gun, it just doesn't exist!" She said with a sniffle hiding her face in Tim's chest.

"Well, we pretty much know, even without knowing what it is, that that stuff has to be responsible for what happened to Ziva, right?" Tim asked.

"Well yeah, it has to be, there is no other logical explanation, but we still have no clue what it is." Abby told him.

"That's ok Abs, Mas Spec didn't tell us what it is, but sometimes knowing what it ISNT is just as helpful." Tim pointed out.

"I guess so," Abby agreed with a soft sigh "I just hate not knowing what hurt Ziva. She's counting on us and I feel like we are letting her down by not solving this the way we have always managed to solve things before. I'm so frustrated that now when it matters the most, when one of our family needs us, we can't seem to do what we always manage to do for others." She told him.

"I know, I feel the same way. I hate that we don't have the answers we want. However, I know that we will get them we will continue to work hard on this until we do, just like we always do, but first things first, you're exhausted, you need to lie down for a bit and get some rest, than you can take another look at all of this with fresh eyes." Tim said as he led Abby over to the futon Caf Pow abandoned in favor of a nap.

"Timmy I can't rest now, you just said it, we, need to keep working hard until we solve this" Abby protested, even as she let him help her lie down.

"You can and you will, the case will keep until after a nap, you will be able to do much better work after you have rested a bit. Right now you are too tired to thing straight, you need to rest some before continuing. I'll put your Caf Pow in the fridge." Tim told her as he tucked her in, "now, close your eyes and get some rest, I will do some more research on the gun, see if I can't get into any of the records." Tim told her as he handed her Bert.

Tim headed back over to the table and the computer; he turned back to Abby for a moment and asked, "You want the music on…" He trailed off as he realized Abby was already fast asleep. He smiled and went to the computer. He would let her rest for a while, she needed it.

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Ziva woke up from her nap just in time for dinner, a tray waiting for her on the rolling hospital table. Her tummy gave a loud grumble.

Sitting up on Tony's stomach she knocked the wind right out of him and woke him up all at the same time, he gasped for air for a moment, shocked at the rude awakening. Catching his breath he Sat up he sat Ziva on the bed as he slid off of it not saying a word to Gibbs who sat in a chair next to the bed a wide smile on his face.

Ziva pulled the green plastic dome, keeping her dinner warm, off and stared at what she found underneath with total distaste. She poked one of the breadcrumb covered sticks with a little finger and proclaimed "Yuck,"

"Come on Zivakins, all kids love fish sticks," Tony tried to reason with her.

"Yuck," Ziva repeated poking at her dinner again. She looked over at Gibbs hopefully, "I don't want this." She told him.

"Ziva this is what the hospital has brought for you to have," Gibbs tried reasoning with the little ninja this time. He hoped his stern demeanor would be enough to convince her to eat what was in front of her.

Ziva picked up one of the sticks and Gibbs was mentally congratulating himself on getting her to eat, when a flying fish stick hit him right in the nose.

"I do not want them!" She proclaimed as she got ready to launch another one.

"Put that down!" Gibbs told her and she obediently dropped the offending fish from lax fingers, her eyes wide and nervous. That tone of voice was never to be ignored and it usually meant that Gibbs was at the end of his rope, something that should never be taken lightly. She had to tread carefully now.

"I-I do not want it" She said again, tears in her voice. She hated how emotional her new little body was. It was very unbecoming.

Gibbs melted at the little girls obvious upset and his face softened, "What do you want?" he asked.

"Grilled chicken salad," Ziva told him.

"I don't even think they offer that here Ziva." Gibbs told her, "This isn't a restaurant this is a hospital."

"Tony can go get it for me." Ziva insisted, "I don't even think those sticks have any fish in them, I am not eating them!" She crossed her arms for good measure.

"Ziva there is nothing wrong with the fish sticks, the hospital has nutritious food, they wouldn't give you anything bad. I am not having Tony wonder around the area looking for a place that has grilled chicken salad when he is needed here." Gibbs had hated leaving just one agent on Ziva when she could be in danger, but he had, had to go. There hadn't been a choice. Now however there was, he wasn't going to be a man down because Ziva was being a picky eater.

"I can't eat this, I neeeeeeeed a grilled chicken salad," Ziva said with a long suffering sigh.

"We can't go Ziva, that's final." Gibbs told her.

"Fine" Ziva said, sliding off the bed, she quickly reached and grabbed Gibbs' keys from his pocket and headed toward the door, her IV pole rolling behind her, "I'll go get it!"

At first Gibbs was too shocked to do anything, he couldn't believe she had snatched his keys let alone really thought she was going to be able to leave the hospital and drive herself anywhere in her current condition. She wouldn't even be able to reach the petals or see over the steering wheel.

Ziva was half way down the hallway muttering about fishless fish sticks, by the time Gibbs shot up and ran after her. He made it down to her in a few long strides and scooped her up, grabbing the IV pole be took her back to her room.

"Where do you think you are going" He demanded.

"To get my salad," She told him.

"You're four years old and injured, you aren't going anyplace especially not in my rental car." Gibbs said sitting her back down on the bed.

"How do you expect me to get better by eating processed fried almost-fish? I made a perfectly reasonable request" She was pouting now, her little arms crossed over her chest.

"The food is perfectly suited for helping you heal Ziva, now eat your dinner." Gibbs ordered sternly.

Ziva looked at him with wide brown eyes, her bottom lip quivering, "B But I don't want it," She sniffled running a hand across her face to mop up unshed tears.

Gibbs wheeled the table over to the bed in front of Ziva, he then pointed to the food, "Eat your dinner right now, that's an order." He tried not to let the little girl's tears sway him, but it was hard.

Reluctantly Ziva picked up one of the offensive sticks of fish and slowly brought it to her mouth, making a face as the battered bit of food touched her lips, she took a small bite and promptly burst out into tears.

"Yucky!" she cried spitting the barely chewed bite of food out onto her plate.

Gibbs looked horrified that his order had made her cry and he swiftly bent down and lifted her up, holding her close and rubbing her back, he let the natural father in his shine through.

Sitting on the bed the little girl in his lap he looked over at Tony who was already standing up from his seat, "Going to find a grilled chicken salad, Boss." He said as he headed out of the room.

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